Guesthouses in the 1980s operated much like later hotels, offering several grades of accommodation.

At the Anqing County guesthouse, the cheapest option was a large dormitory with more than a dozen beds, usually on the damp first floor or in the basement, costing one yuan per night.

A slightly better choice was a four-person room at two yuan per bed.

Better still were private rooms at six yuan each. Suites were typically reserved for officials traveling on business.

The best option, of course, was a fifteen-yuan suite.

Most of the time, the suite at the Anqing County guesthouse sat empty throughout the year. Even leaders from less prosperous work units were reluctant to spend fifteen yuan a night.

Zhou Cheng and Kang Wei were staying there now.

The room had cream-yellow floor tiles, dark red solid-wood furniture, bright lighting, and even a fourteen-inch television.

Zhang Erlai had never seen such a luxurious room and couldn’t guess who Zhou Cheng and Kang Wei really were. Why had the police brought him to the guesthouse?

If they weren’t police, the guns in their hands made him even more uneasy.

Zhou Cheng had spent the entire day outside. He hadn’t noticed while he was with Xia Xiaolan, but now he felt sticky with sweat and uncomfortable. Seeing Zhang Erlai’s sleazy face and recalling the ugly rumors made his mood even worse.

Someone like this didn’t deserve a chair. He might dirty the guesthouse furniture.

“Squat there and give a proper account of your problems.” Zhou Cheng said.

Kang Wei switched on the ceiling fan. The blades whirred loudly, dispersing some of the stuffy heat.

Putting on a fawning smile, Zhang Erlai said, “Comrade, I really don’t know what you want me to confess. Could you give me a hint?”

Zhou Cheng glanced sideways at Kang Wei.

Noticing Zhou Cheng’s foul mood, Kang Wei said ingratiatingly, “It’s about our future sister-in-law, right? I left it for Brother Cheng to handle. As soon as I found this scumbag, I brought him here.”

No wonder Zhang Erlai was confused.

Pleased by the phrase “future sister-in-law,” Zhou Cheng lit a cigarette and nodded toward Zhang Erlai.

“Go on. What’s the story with Xia Xiaolan?”

So they were asking about Xia Xiaolan? Zhang Erlai’s mind began racing.

“You two want a piece too? That woman’s easy to handle... fair arms, big—”

He spoke animatedly, practically dancing with excitement. Before he could finish, Zhou Cheng kicked him hard, sending him crashing into the corner of the wall.

He lay there motionless for a moment.

Zhou Cheng’s face was filled with fury. Grabbing Zhang Erlai by the hair, he forced his face up.

Blood filled Zhang Erlai’s mouth, and he didn’t even have the strength to struggle. The kick had likely injured his internal organs.

“Dare speak properly now? I only want the truth. Anyone who lies to me won’t get a second chance.”

Could bragging really get someone killed?

Zhang Erlai hadn’t believed it before. When rumors spread that he and Xia Xiaolan had been involved, he felt immensely proud. Recently, with the crime crackdown underway, he didn’t dare boast in public... but when people asked, he would grin lewdly, letting them assume the worst.

Now he realized bragging could indeed get someone killed.

Tears and mucus streamed down his face.

“I—I’ll tell the truth! I never touched Xia Xiaolan!”

Zhou Cheng kept hold of his hair. “Rumors don’t appear out of nowhere. Stories about you and Xia Xiaolan are everywhere. There must be a reason. Did you ever try to harm her?”

Zhang Erlai avoided his gaze and refused to speak.

Zhou Cheng slammed his head against the floor and cocked his pistol with a sharp click. With that wolf-like ferocity, he looked ready to shoot him on the spot.

Zhang Erlai began banging his head on the ground.

“Don’t kill me! I’ll talk—I’ll tell everything! Xia Xiaolan is beautiful. Two years ago, I visited relatives in Qijing Village and fell for her at first sight. I grabbed her and teased her a bit, but a sent-down youth surnamed Wang from the village interfered and stood up for her. After that, I didn’t get many chances to approach her. I hung around Qijing Village, but she was fierce, and I never got anywhere…”

Seeing him hesitating, Kang Wei raised a stool as if to smash it down, and Zhang Erlai blurted out everything.

“Later someone threw a note onto my windowsill saying Xia Xiaolan wanted to meet me. It said she liked me but worried her family wouldn’t approve because I didn’t have a proper job.... so it told me to sleep with her first and make things irreversible…”

Zhang Erlai spoke in a rush.

“When I went to find her, she denied writing the note and called me a toad lusting after a swan. I grabbed her sleeve, and that Wang fellow showed up again and ruined everything. From what they said, I learned he was actually dating Xia Xiaolan’s cousin. He said all sorts of things to her about being disappointed… Those two probably had something going on!”

Unable to take advantage of her himself, Zhang Erlai had grown resentful. Rumors later spread that he and Xia Xiaolan had been together in a haystack. When people asked, he smirked without denying it, and the story spread further and further.

He had been worried during the crackdown that Xia Xiaolan might report him, but no one from her family stood up for her, and she even tried to kill herself by smashing her head against a wall.

Now Zhang Erlai tried to clear himself while smearing Xia Xiaolan’s reputation, hoping it would improve his own situation.

His swollen eyes narrowed into slits as he secretly watched Zhou Cheng’s expression.

But neither Zhou Cheng nor Kang Wei believed him.

Why would Xia Xiaolan ignore someone like Zhou Cheng and go after Zhang Erlai?

What nonsense.

The note certainly hadn’t been written by Xia Xiaolan.

Kang Wei understood now... someone had deliberately tried to ruin her reputation.

“Brother Cheng…”

Kang Wei looked embarrassed.

Zhou Cheng ignored him and asked coldly, “Which hand did you touch her with?”

“I really didn’t! I only tore one of her sleeves.” Zhang Erlai stammered.

Xia Xiaolan had been driven to attempt suicide by a scoundrel like this.

Zhou Cheng was so furious he began to laugh.

“Very good.”

Kang Wei worried Zhou Cheng might shoot him.

“Brother, don’t act rashly. We can’t kill anyone here… Listen to me! There’s no need to dirty our hands.”

“Hand him over to the police. The crackdown will be enough to get him executed.”

Zhang Erlai panicked. He guessed Xia Xiaolan must have found powerful backers, these two men were clearly avenging her. If he were handed to the police, he would be finished.

Desperation gave him reckless courage.

“If you send me to the police, her reputation as a loose woman will be confirmed! I’ll tell everyone what happened between us in bed!”

Zhou Cheng dragged a suitcase out from under the bed and opened it. Inside was a suitcase filled with cash.

He took several thick bundles of banknotes and stuffed them into Zhang Erlai’s arms. Zhang Erlai thought it was hush money.

He was overjoyed! There must be thousands of yuan there.

If Zhou Cheng could hand it over so casually, who knew how much more was in the suitcase? Before Zhang Erlai could demand more, Zhou Cheng spoke again, condemning him completely.

“Xiaowei, have the guesthouse call the police station. We’ve caught someone stealing public funds.”